Syrian and Turkish denial of an alleged meeting between the Syrian government and Hezbollah in Türkiye

In a press statement, Zidane stressed the need for international media to be accurate, respect professionalism, and preserve the reputation of their institutions, stressing that what was published about this alleged meeting is “completely incorrect” and does not reflect the reality of official relations.

In a related context, the presidential advisor explained the new constants that govern Syrian foreign policy towards neighboring Lebanon, indicating that any communication or coordination takes place exclusively through legitimate channels.

He stressed that "our relationship with Lebanon takes place through the Lebanese state's portal," sending at the same time a clear message to Beirut regarding "the necessity of assuming its national and international responsibilities, and confining political and military decisions to the state, in a way that ensures respect for the sovereignty of the two countries and prevents any interference from unofficial parties."

For its part, the Turkish presidency, on Thursday, categorically denied the validity of media reports that spoke of a meeting being held between officials from the Syrian government and leaders from the Lebanese Hezbollah on Turkish soil.

Reuters reported that representatives of the Syrian government and Lebanese Hezbollah held direct talks in Turkey in an attempt to calm tensions between the two sides, which is the first known meeting of its kind between the two sides.